CCTS mid-year report shows 44 percent year-over-year increase in telecom complaints

The Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) saw a 44 percent increase in the number of complaints it received, according to its mid-year report.

The report, released on April 2nd, said it accepted 9,831 complaints between August 1, 2018 and January 31, 2019.

It noted that was a decrease in complaints from the 73 percent increase it got in the same reporting period a year ago.

Top issues raised

Of the top issues brought to the CCTS’ attention, ‘incorrect charges’ landed the number one spot with 1,003 wireless complaints, out of 3,668 total complaints.

‘Non-disclosure of terms/misleading information about terms’ was number two with 1,200 wireless complaints, out of 2,716 total complaints.

‘Intermittent/inadequate quality of service’ fell to number three with 584 wireless complaints, out of 1,898 total complaints.

Complaints fell under wireless, internet, TV, local phone, long distance and white page directories.

Of the number of complaints it accepted, the CCTS said it concluded 9,637 complaints and of those, resolved 8,877 complaints.

Within the 8,877 resolved complaints, the CCTS said it resolved 6,902 complaints at pre-investigation, and 1,975 were resolved at investigation.

Of the complaints it accepted, 753 complaints were closed. Of those closed, 247 were closed at pre-investigation and 506 were closed at investigation.

Carrier breakdown

Montreal-based national carrier Bell had the most number of complaints with 3,034, representing 30.9 percent of all complaints accepted in the reporting period.

It is important to note though that this dropped by 2.4 percent, compared to the same reporting period a year earlier.

Rogers was number two with 915 complaints, representing 9.3 percent of all complaints accepted in the reporting period. It too saw a drop of one percent from the same period a year earlier.

Cogeco had 790 complaints, representing eight percent of the total complaints accepted. That amount grew 6.2 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Telus remained relatively the same and had 746 complaints, which represented 7.6 percent of total complaints. That amount grew by 0.1 percent from the same period a year earlier.

This year for the first time Shaw’s Freedom Mobile joined the top five list of carriers customers complained about.

Of the number of complaints, Freedom Mobile had 637, representing 6.5 percent of complaints.

‘Out-of-mandate’ issues

The CCTC also reported on a number of complaints that are not covered by the Commission’s mandate.

The report does not specify the total number of such complaints were received.

It does note that ‘Customer Service’ issues related to wait times or rude representatives, accounted for 3,006 complaints, yielding it as the number one issue.

‘Service provider general operating practices and policies’ amounted to 1,690 complaints and ‘pricing’ came to 759 complaints.

Wireless Code of Conduct

The CCTC is also mandated to investigate breaches in the Wireless Code of Conduct. In the specified reporting period, the report said it found 944 alleged breaches.

That number is down from 1,712 breaches the Commission received in the same reporting period a year ago.

Of the 944, 787 did not require an investigation and 157 were investigated. Of the 157 that investigated, 61 were confirmed breaches and 96 did not equate to a breach.

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